Axel Borup-Jørgensen
(1924-2012)www.borup-jorgensen.dk
was born in Hjørring in Denmark, but
grew up in Sweden. It was the countryside and experience of nature of his
childhood in Sweden that became a lifelong inspiration to him. He returned to
Denmark to study piano at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen and
instrumentation with Poul Schierbeck and Jørgen Jersild and was one of the
first Danish composers to go to the Darmstadt School. Borup-Jørgensen's works
include music for orchestra, chamber music, songs with piano and other
instruments.

However, the first work on this disc is Bent Sørensen’s (b.1958) www.dacapo-records.dk/en/artist-bent-s%C3%B8rensen.aspxWhisperingfor recorder and strings (2014) which
rises out of the silence with strange other-worldly sounds from the strings. Slowly
the sound of Michala Petri’s recorder is heard as the music moves ahead with
strange sonorities. As the work progresses, the strings continue to appear from
the silence in little emerging phrases to which the recorder adds a melancholy
quality. Soon a lively tune for recorder appears over the strings that play
little phrases. The recorder moves through a variety of passages, melancholy
and livelier, before an exquisitely hushed section out of which the recorder slowly
rises over a gentle string accompaniment with drooping phrases leading to the
coda.

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s
(b.1932) www.dacapo-records.dk/en/artist-pelle-gudmundsen-holmgreen.aspx Music for 13 Strings. For Axel 'Boje' (2014)
opens with a swirl of strings with some fine textures before faster, often
staccato phrases appear, as the music becomes dramatic. Gudmundsen-Holmgreen
creates some terrific string harmonies and textures before a hushed rising and
falling passage for strings appears. There are sudden outbursts of dramatic
strings as the music moves quickly and lively ahead. The Lapland Chamber
Orchestra brings some very fine string sounds to this lovely theme. Eventually
there are more dramatic staccato phrases as the music moves rhythmically ahead. Slowly the music regains its steady forward
momentum moving through a variety of passages, slow and intricate then more
dramatic with rhythmic stamping of feet from the orchestra before slowing for a
rumination of a four note motif. The music leads to a quiet coda with slowly
rising and falling strings.

The strings open Sunleif
Rasmussen’s (b.1961)www.sunleifrasmussen.comWinter Echoes -Hommage a Axel Borup-Jørgensen for recorder and 13 solo strings (2014) with
a determined theme, a terrific overlaying of string sounds. Soon the recorder
can be heard in a rising motif that is reflected by the strings. Soon a short solo passage for recorder arrives
before strings hurry along, responded to by the recorder. There is some
beautifully pointed, light textured playing from Michala Petri and the
orchestra as both bounce off each other.
The strings bring a slower steady passage to which the recorder adds
lovely little phrases with the feel of winter is really evoked here. There are some
fine flourishes from the recorder as the strings continue the slow steady
motion in an exquisite passage leading to a recorder solo where Petri plays a
lovely little tune that rises and falls in little flourishes bringing about the
end.

Mogens Christensen’s
(b.1955)http://mogens-christensen.com/daNordic
Summer Scherzo – Concerto for descant recorder and strings (2014)has a
sudden opening with trills from the recorder against lively strings. Petri
brings some superb playing to this piece with some terrific string sounds from
the Lapland Chamber Orchestra in the various textures, sonorities and harmonies.
Soon the recorder develops a tune against a hushed, delicately written string
accompaniment before moving through some brilliantly written passages with
superb, pin point sharp playing from all. Later a subtle rhythmic pulse appears
before rapid strings take the music forward, the opening trills return and the
fast recorder theme leads the strings to the coda.

Thomas Clausen’s
(b.1949)www.thomasclausen.com Concertino for Recorder and Strings (2014) is
in four movements, opening with a lively Moderato
that brings a lovely little melody for recorder over a fine string
accompaniment in this more traditional piece before leading into the exquisite Largo where the strings lead with a
plodding rhythmic pulse over which the recorder plays a long flowing melody. Michala
Petri brings some lovely little phrases, fine little trills and some
beautifully held long lines as the movement progresses.

We jump suddenly into the
Moderato, a rather fast moderato with some very fine passages from Petri. The
strings of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra are really rather fine with such crisp
lively playing. This we are told might have been the end of this concertino
except for Michala Petri hoping for a final faster movement to follow. This, the
composer happily provided, a Rondo where
fast moving strings introduce the theme to which the recorder soon joins. Petri and the orchestra seem to have terrific
fun playing off each other with some playful little phrases from Petri before
the music rushes to the end.

Finally we come to Axel
Borup-Jørgensen’s (1924-2012) Sommasvit Op. 24 for String Orchestra (1957).
In five movements, it takes its title from Sommon, a large forest fringed lake
area in northern Småland. Each movement takes us to different places in the
area and different times of day.

Morgon: Svalön (Morning:
Swallow Island) opens quietly from a high held note and pizzicato strings
before developing more dynamic phrases and moving tentatively forward with fine
string effects. This is a really evocative piece that just fades to silence.

The strings of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra gently evoke
the sound of waves gently lapping in Middag:
Böljeskvalp Vid Aspanäs Udde (Noon: Waves lapping atAspanäs headland). This composer brought a fine ear and much
subtlety to his writing, especially in this lovely little movement.

In Afton: Bjälnäs (Evening:
Bjälnäs) sonorous strings gently lead ahead with more of a darker feel, the
strings slowly shifting in harmonies.

Natt: Höststorm På
Storsjön (Night: Autumn storm on the Great Lake) brings fast and stormy
string writing with this composer showing just how finely he could create such
string textures and sonorities that bring a contemporary twist on a wholly
descriptive piece.

Calm is restored for the
Epilog a slow moving conclusion with shifting harmonies and carefully
crafted dissonances that bring a terrific atmosphere.

This is a work that demonstrates just what a very fine
composer Axel Borup-Jørgensen was. This terrific collection of works represents
a fine tribute to this sadly missed composer. The new works provided for this
recording are, of course, world premieres. They all receive an excellent
recording and there are excellent notes in the well-illustrated booklet.

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About The Classical Reviewer

The Classical Reviewer has been involved in music for many years, as a classical record distributor, as a newspaper concert reviewer and writer of articles relating to music as well as reviewing for Harpsichord and Fortepiano magazine.

He assisted in the cataloguing of the scores of the late British composer George Lloyd and has co-authored a memoir of his friendship with the composer.

Having a particular interest in British music, he regularly undertakes talks on Elgar.

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